I've been following this mod for a month or two, and have downloaded the beta. To say I'm impressed is an understatement, so I've decided to put up an article on this fancy little mod to hopefully rustle up some interest. We absolutely, positively, have to get a server up running this NOW!

So what's it's about? Well, it is a class based teamplay mod. It does have a few differences to other mods (we seem to have masses of teamfortress clones around these days). The first major difference is that one team is your usual bunch of humans (and one kick ass mech) while the other is a bunch of marauding alien spiders.

The story is this: the aliens have infiltrated a human space station and taken over about half of it. Now both sides are locked inside for a battle of survival. To win, all you have to do is wipe out the enemy team's spawn sites.

Each side has five classes. When you start, you can choose only the basic warrior (grunt or hatchling) or the engineer/breeder, who can build defenses and more spawn sites. To move up to the sexier classes, you need to earn frags. You then trade in your frags for a serious butt-kicking class. The most costly class is 5 frags.

If you think the spiders suck and are nothing but cannon fodder for the other team, think again. Although the hatchling, the basic class, is very small and weak, they are very fast, manuverable, and powerful - two bites and your usually dead. Their small size is also their main advantage - you could walk past one and not know it. Of course, not all the spiders are small.....

In a nut shell, the only advantage humans have is the ability to attack from a distance. Spiders attack close, but have great speed and agility to make up for it. Some also have a ranged attack, throwing spikes that parralise you, allowing them to walk up and quite calmly rip you in two.

However, the great thing about this mod is it's professionalism. Remember Weapons Factory? Well think of a mod nothing like that. (I believe Rebem reviewed this mod a while back, and his caption under a picture of the turret summed it up quite well: "this has to be the worst model I have ever seen in a mod.")

I don't know who their modellers, skinners and animators are, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were snapped up game makers any time soon. The models are EXCELLENT, and the animations are too. This wasn't a spit and shine job, this was a proper cut, sand, buff and polish. A lot of effort has gone into this, and it shows. This is commercial quality.

Gloom was originally a single player TC, but they went to multiplayer. However, some elements of the single player game were carried through. This game is dripping with atmosphere. In the human base, there is a kind of drum beat in the background, giving it an Aliens feel, and when approaching the alien nest, you get an eerie music. (First time I've come accross dynamic music in quake!)

Humans also have flashlights, which is a good addition - it's really creepy walking down a dark corridor and seeing strange things run in the shadows.

In conclusion, this is a simple mod to get into and play (only three extra bindings needed - +use, +flashlight, and ident). I really hope that one of the ISP's gives this a go, it's fabulous! Make sure to check out the Gloom page here. The demo is 27 megs, but damn it's worth it!

Oh yeah, here are some screenies for you. I went onto the only server I could find, which was in America, and hence had a 700 ping. I was however fortunate to meet a guy called Barmy from Sweden, who was more than happy to let me take screen shots of him as various alien classes before he killed me.

Alien eggs - these things actually pulsate, and are the alien respawns. Gotta destroy 'em!

Now this little bastard is the Hatchling, the basic class for the spiders. It's size makes it very stealthy, and they can kill you in under two seconds, but if you get a good bead on them they go down easy.

Now heres another one. I'm not sure exactly what this class is, but it is capable of UNUSUALLY high jumps, and can shoot spikes to paralyse you. Nasty.

Interesting story here. I was walking around with my gun pointed to the floor, expecting Barmy to come at me as one of those little bastards. Then I saw this odd shape. Here my ping betrayed me, as it took the flashlight a few seconds to follow the crosshair......

OH CRAP!!!!!!!!!

This shot was taken about a millisecond before I was ripped in two.

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